Hall of Shadows [The Celestial Chronicles #2]

Chapter Three: To Be An Oracle

"Of what is past, or passing, or to come."

~ Y. B. Yeats, "Byzantium"

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Soundtrack of the chapter: Secret Garden by Phil Rey

Media: A feorh

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Chapter Three: To Be An Oracle

If Cady wondered what Feorh Elijah was talking about last night, she found out in the morning.

Someone had tugged incessantly at Cady's blanket, trying to yank it off. Cady clutched the blanket tighter, unwilling to let go as she curled herself into a ball. She didn't want to wake up yet, it was far too early, and it was cold outside.

But the person wasn't easily discouraged. He continued shaking Cady until she sprung upright, determined to beat the daylights out of whoever woke her up at an ungodly hour.

It wasn't a person but a huge, menacing looking bear. A shimmering pair of wings fluttered behind its great body. It stared at Cady with its dark, beady eyes, as if to imply 'get your arse out of bed'.

Cady wasn't fond of bears, especially not one who had jerked her out of her beauty sleep.

Wait. Cady thought. What is a bear doing in my dorm?

She screamed.

She screamed like it was the end of the world. The bear dropped the blanket and clamped its paws over its ears while the other Starlets stared at Cady in surprise.

Someone strode over and caught her wrist.

"What in Nala's name are you screaming about? The Feorh won't eat you."

She stopped screaming and looked up. It was the dark-haired girl from yesterday—Jo.

"Cady, that is a Feorh, lesser Celestial Spirits who serve the Oracles. I should've told you earlier," Zoroth piped up guiltily.

Cady flushed, giving herself a mental slap. An Oracle should know about Feorhs.

"I'm sorry, I just panicked. I mean—er—a bear woke me up for God's sake."

Jo smiled. "Don't you worry now, Gaia is a sweetheart."

As if to clarify Jo's point, the Feorh raised a paw in salute.

"Sorry," Cady apologized. Gaia shrugged before walking off. Cady then noticed that the Feorh was coated in a layer of shimmering marks, just like her Starlet tattoos. She suddenly remembered her Walker tattoo on her arm, how could she be so careless?

Cady grabbed a jacket and slid into it. Luckily for her, the other Oracles were too busy preparing themselves to notice her mistake. She heaved a silent breath of relief.

When Cady was done washing up, she threw on the robes Gaia had provided (they were very intricately made, smooth white silk adorned with swirling golden patterns) and joined the others who were ushered into the kitchens by a pair of fox-shaped Feorhs.

The kitchens were similar to those of the Hall of Games. Its spacious shelves were cluttered with spices, herbs and tins of other stuff that Cady couldn't name. Rows upon rows of tables were lined up in a neat row by the side where hundreds of Oracles sat having breakfast. Feorhs busied themselves cooking and serving, sliding in between the crowd with grace and ease.